The present invention relates in general to optical readers and in particular to a new and useful illuminating device for illuminating optically recognizable marks on a carrier or the like, in particular alpha numeric symbols.
In one known device of this kind the carriers, such as letters, cards, vouchers or other shipments are illuminated linearly during their transport through a reading zone and at approximately 45.degree. to the normal by means of separate lights and associated optic lenses. The beam received by the reading device, which has on the input side a photo receiver in the form of a photodiode line, travels at 0.degree., i.e. in the direction of the normal.